This invention relates to exercise equipment and, more specifically, to systems and methods for providing improved exercise devices in combination with motivational programming.
In an attempt to improve their health and physical conditioning, consumers are purchasing home exercise devices in record quantities. One common problem with home exercise equipment is motivating the purchaser to use the device on a consistent and ongoing basis. In addition, many exercise devices involve repetitive actions, which can quickly become tedious and boring to a person exercising alone.
In recent years, health clubs have organized various exercise classes and routines involving a group setting. In the proper setting, a group approach to exercise creates a synergy, whereby individual members of the class derive encouragement and motivation from other members of the group. In addition, group settings promote a healthy sense of competition among group members. Initially, such group fitness and exercise classes typically involved aerobics, traditionally performed without the use of any ancillary exercise equipment or devices. In recent years, however, the group work out approach has been extended to classes that utilize various exercise devices. Take, for example, the recent rise in popularity of xe2x80x9cSpinning Classes,xe2x80x9d in which each participant operates his or her own stationery exercise cycle in a group setting, with a coach or instructor leading the group through a prescribed program or routine. Similarly, with recent advances in the design of treadmills, it is possible to have xe2x80x9cTreadmill Classesxe2x80x9d wherein an instructor not only leads and motivates the group, but the instructor is also able to control the operation of the treadmills of all of the class participants from a single control panel.
One of the primary disadvantages with group training, however, is that it is typically available only at health clubs and, therefore, is not as convenient as exercising in the privacy and comfort of one""s own home. It would, therefore, be a definite advancement in the art of home exercise equipment to provide the desirable benefits of group exercise by providing motivational, interactive programming that simulates a group exercise setting in the home.
Some efforts have been made in the prior art to introduce a level of xe2x80x9cinteractivityxe2x80x9d into exercise machines. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,249 discloses a video exercise control system in which a video cassette recorder or similar device is coupled, via a hard wired connection, to an exercise machine, such as a treadmill, and wherein the speed and inclination of the treadmill are controlled by the VCR in synchronization with prerecorded audiovideo presentations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,509 discloses a remote exercise control system in which an exercise machine, such as a treadmill, which includes a control console that communicates via a communications module with an evaluation module located at a remote location. Signals indicative of the operating parameters of the treadmill are transmitted from the treadmill to the evaluation module, and control signals are transmitted from the remote evaluation module for controlling the operating parameters of the treadmill. U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,172 is representative of another approach found in the prior art, wherein an exercise device is coupled, via hard wired connection, to a video game device, such that the operating parameters of the exercise device are used as inputs to the video game controller, which then produces a motivational video display based on the inputs received. These approaches, however, do not facilitate live, interactive communications between a treadmill user at home and a trainer or coach in a remote location, which allow the trainer or coach to control the operating parameters of the user""s treadmill on a real time basis.
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for providing exercise devices with motivational programming. The present invention is particularly well suited to exercise devices that utilize one or more motors and/or other electrically driven actuators that control one or more operating parameters of the exercise device. The present invention contemplates the use of programming that includes motivational content and one or more control signals, synchronized with the motivational content, for controlling operation of the exercise device. The motivational content preferably includes audio and/or video designed to simulate a group exercise setting. In addition, the motivational content can include instructional and educational content for the benefit of the user. The programming can be live or prerecorded and can be broadcast over conventional broadcast channels, cable, satellite, the internet or any other means suitable for transmitting audio and/or video signals. Alternatively, the programming can be prerecorded and stored on a storage medium, such as audio cassette tapes, compact discs, mini-discs, videotapes, laser discs, digital video discs, computer diskettes or any other storage medium suitable for the storage and reproduction of audio and/or video signals. The present invention also includes means for reproducing the programming, including the motivational content along with the synchronized control signals. Finally, the present invention includes means for decoding the control signals and for controlling the operation of the exercise device in synchronization with the motivational content.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide exercise devices that incorporate a standardized interface for receiving and decoding control signals embedded in multimedia (i.e., audio and/or video) programming for controlling various operating parameters of the exercise device in synchronization with the multimedia programming.
Another object of the present invention is to improve home exercise equipment by providing home exercise devices that are capable of simulating a group or class workout environment and synchronizing operation of the exercises devices with motivational programming.
Another object of the invention is to provide improved exercise devices, wherein programming containing motivational content and control signals can be reproduced using audio and/or video playback devices commonly found in the home, such as televisions, VCRs, home stereo equipment and the like, and the exercise device can decode and utilize the control signals to synchronize operation of the exercise device with the motivational content.
It is another object of the invention to provide exercise devices that are responsive to control signals that are encoded in programming external to the exercise device and containing audio and/or video and that can be transmitted and received by conventional broadcasting technologies.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide enhanced exercise devices, the operation of which can be controlled using interchangeable, multimedia programming containing motivational content and control signals that are synchronized with the motivational content.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved exercise machine that facilitates live, interactive communications between a treadmill user at home and a trainer or coach in a remote location, and which allows the trainer or coach to control the operating parameters of the user""s treadmill on a live, real time basis.
These advantages in addition to other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.